PAPERLICIOUS

Your Comments

Your comments are so much fun.  It is time to respond to some of them. 

But first, here's a simple card I made with Papertrey Ink's Flower Garden and that fun (inexpensive!) Sassafrass Paper I bought the other day.  The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms and the rest is self explanatory!  Not exactly the Van Gogh of card making, but it is kind of cute.....

Ok, comments on money. 

YOU are cracking me up.  Some of you are egging me on to spend more and others are encouraging me to save and are trying to cut back also.  So, you ask, have any companies offered me free stuff after my little begging post?  The answer..... is....

YES!!  I'm not a huge fan of teases on my blog, but since you asked (twice...), yes, I've heard from 3 companies, but I'm not able to disclose what's going on right now.  Frankly, I'm amazed.  Who knew you could get free stuff if you don't have stamping talent!!!? 

Now my husband (good old Mr. DP) is as nuts about my cutting back as I am.  He loves it but is always telling me to buy.  Hmm, I think he has "issues."  Perhaps another discussion with DP is in order...

Comments about my Mom

A few of you miss hearing about my Mom and how we are coping.  If you really really want to know, she's available!  A few days with you and you'd be up to date on the latest! 

Seriously, she's in a fairly stable pattern.  Although she seems very tired, she no longer needs her diuretic, which I guess means her heart is stronger than before?  I have given up trying to be in control of the unknowable!  Frail, anxiety attacks whenever she stands up.  Skinny, few teeth, potassium issues (too high), so her ability to eat is limited.  I know she isn't getting false teeth because of the cost.  She expects to die soon and considers it a waste of money.  She is still a child of the depression.  

She spends her days mostly in bed or sitting up in a chair in her room.  Now that Tiger is injured, she isn't watching too much golf, so its back to Home and Garden and Lifetime TV.  I try to watch House Hunters with her every night.  One of my favorite times with my Mom is when we would spend Sunday afternoons going to open houses we couldn't afford!!!  I swear the realtors must have recognized us after a while.  So, now we do it through House Hunters.

She told me the other day that she thinks "all the time" about the mistakes she has made in her life.  I knew what she was trying to say, but I couldn't go there -- even now when I know she is not well.   I wanted to be able to respond to my Mom in a way that would help her, but I am pretty much useless on the topic.  So, I told her that we all regret a lot, but the best we could do is live our lives NOW in a good way.  Geesh, I sounded like Oprah!  

You may have noticed that there is one person in my life I never blog about. I can barely write the word father.  The last time I tried to discuss him on the blog, I went into an emotional tailspin and it took me two days to recover (yes, it's that long of a story...).

As I said earlier, I'm not a big fan of teases -- stay tuned type of thing -- but maybe some day I'll share a bit more about what we used to call the Hershey House (we lived in a house painted brown and my brothers and I called it the Hershey House -- brown on the outside, nuts on the inside!!).  And, I've said enough for now!

Tsumugi Paper and a Book Recommendation

I have a couple of sheets of this beautifully textured Tsumugi Paper from Hanko (linked below).  I used it to cover the front of a white card as I couldn't bear to use half a sheet for one card.  This line of papers is stunning, as are many by Hanko.  Sigh.  I want them all!!! 

Stamps:  Flower Garden and Text Boxed from Papertrey Ink
Ink:  Black Memories, Stampin Up Lovely Lilac and Pink Passion markers and classic dye ink pads
Embellishments:  Stampin Up ribbon and Amuse Arts Micro Dots Twinkle
Paper:  White unknown and fabulous Iris Tsumugi Paper from Hanko

Other: Stampin Up circle and corner rounder punches, Tool Kit

Book Recommendation:  Colored Pencil for the Serious Beginner, by Bet Borgeson Copyright 1998.

I got this book from the library, but it is available from Amazon.  I've been on the hunt for a book that can explain design principles in a clear and simple manner, and I think this book fits the bill.  It is chock full of color, design, and colored pencil advice. Good enough that I may want my own for frequent reference.

For the Best Dad

This is the card I made for Andy to give Mike for father's day.  Kind, generous, warm, funny, hardworking to a fault, Mike is a fabulous father. 

I am proud to be his wife and consider marrying him the smartest decision I've ever made.  Who else would put up with my nonsense??

Supplies:  Father Knows Best from Papertrey Ink, Assorted green and brown inks and markers from Stampin Up; Piercing tool; Cuttlebug Die; Wild Wasabi and other green ribbons; vintage brads fromSU: Garden Green and Whisper White cardstock from SU. 

My Fortune, and a Smile

I'm always the one to break open the cookie to see the fortune.  I think I'll put this one on my office door!

I went through (meaning ruined) 4 of these Amuse Arts note cards before I came up with this card.  I love how it turned out so I think it was worth it. 

Treasures Used:  The flower and sentiment are from Text Boxed from Papertrey Ink and I colored in part of the flower with a Regal Rose SU marker. Self adhesive flower rhinestones from Kaiser Scrapbook.  Palette Noir ink.  Talent from yours truly.

Hope you have some fun time stamping this weekend.  The weather here should be hot!  My son is going to the prom tonight and we have a ton of other end of school year things to juggle.  The beginning of summer vacation is so sweet, it brings a smile!

Graduation Season/Question for You

Can you help me out here?  In Photoshop, the sentiment on this graduation card is perfectly crisp. However, when uploaded to my blog, it looks a bit fuzzy to me.  What do you think?  Clear or fuzzy??

Edited:  I got some advice from Dana (thank you) and am working on this issue. 

Thanks!


Supplies: Pond Life and Pond Life Sentiments by Papertrey Ink.  Cardstock, brads, and ribbons by Stampin Up.  Tag Die by Spellbinders; Versamark and Pearl Ex; Sakura Gold Sparkle Pen.


Edited again:  I'm practicing here.  I saved the picture again in a different format and am uploading to see if it is any better.

Christmas Mail

I started out making a Thinking of You card (thus the grass on the ground, rather than snow), but by the time this was done it ended up being a Christmas card.  I love the red, green and black combination -- gives a country feel to go with the adorable mailboxes from Papertrey Ink's Mailbox Greetings.

I stamped the mailboxes on an Arturo card -- it is a soft watercolor paper -- and watercolored the image with Stampin Up markers.  The card is small and the layer made out of the same paper is actually a folded card -- I hid the fold by opening up the card and adding the ribbon over the fold, and trimmed around it so that it would fit on black layer. 

I added a little blue with SU Watercolor crayons around the mailboxes.  The base card and ribbon are SU Wild Wasabi. And, I found my Nestabilities and used them!!  (I'm seriously proud of myself!)

I'm still struggling with getting good pictures -- the sentiment here looks fuzzy but is quite crisp on the card.  It says "Holiday Cheer from miles away", particularly cute because Alli Miles designed the set.  Of course, it is just an "inside stamping" kind of thing, but I am a big fan of her designs.  I suspect I'll buy all of them!

Just for fun and to add some interest, I cut a slit in the mailboxes to insert the green and red "cards" -- it looks so cute IRL.  Here's a close up of the mail sticking out of the mailboxes.   

So, I've made 7 Christmas cards so far this year.  I'm way ahead of last year's pace (I think I had 7 done by mid-December).  It is hard to get in the mood when the weather is so stunningly spring, but it's a good feeling to see my holiday pile grow.

Soft Flowers and some Blog Recommendations

Soft Sky and Wild Wasabi -- these "in colors" will be "out" in August when Stampin Up will release the new colors.  I love these colors, particularly together, so I'll be sorry to see them go.  I don't think I'm going to stock up -- I've done that in the past and then forgotten I had the papers.  Too much stuff!!!

For this card, I've paired these colors with Papertrey Ink's Garden of Life set and some micro blue Amuse Twinkle dots (which I do not see on the Amuse Arts website any more). 

The inside text is "Make each day your masterpiece." -- from Cornish Heritage Farms.  I'm going to use this for a non traditional graduation card. 

I've been following some non stamping, but craft related, blogs and thought I'd share the fun.

You want color ideas?  Try Kris's Color Stripes

Want some ideas on how to make money by crafting (HA!)  Try Artrepeneur

Want to see the best blog ever?  Check out this amazing blog!!!

(sorry about that.....)  If you want to read more, click, otherwise keep the economy going and buy something!

Gratitude

I made this card for my Mom's doctor.  I figured that it was time to express some thanks for her care. 

Supplies:  Papertrey Ink:  Stampers Select White Cardstock and envelope; Beautiful Blooms stamp set; Stampin Up!:  Rose Red, Regal Rose; So Saffron, Lovely Lilac, and Almost Amethyst inks; So Saffron and Basic Black cardstock; Rose grosgrain ribbon, brads, and Crafter's Tool Kit; Clear Dollar Stamps:  A Stitch in Time; Palette Noir ink.

Review of Fiskars Threading Water Punch

A nonstamper might wonder -- does the stamping world need another way to make scallops?
I know that my blog readers don't need to answer that question....

So, Fiskars recently released a scalloped border punch called Threading Water Punch.  (Should be called Scallop With Holes Border Punch).  I used it to make this card and thought I'd share my thoughts on the punch.

It's a bit hard to find, but of course, that just makes us want it even more, doesn't it??  I managed to snag one at Craft Town Hobby USA.  It's $15.  Bottom line:  worth it.

I usually make a row of scallops like most folks do -- with an altered Stampin Up corner rounder punch or a slit punch.  The Fiskars punch is certainly faster and the size of the scallop is much smaller, which I like.  However, as you can see, the punch makes holes in each scallop.  I like that, because every time I've ever tried to do so, I've made uneven holes.  (How everyone else seems to get everything so perfect is beyond me!)

So, the punch is a nice shape and has the little holes.  Is it easy to use?  Sort of. I am tool impaired and it took me a bit of time to learn to line up the scallops as you move along the paper.  Maybe there is a good reason why they can't make a punch with a straight line of scallops that is 5 and 1/2 inches long for card makers, but if there is I'm not aware of it.  This is the punch's one draw back.  I like easy, and this definitely has room for error.  So practice on junk paper and you'll be good to go.

Keep in mind that Stampin Up is coming out in August with a scallop border punch that doesn't punch the holes.  So, if you are like most stampers, you will need BOTH punches, KWIM??

Now, on to my card.  Isn't it cute?? Here's another picture of the card, so you can see that part of the flower is popped up.

Card supplies:  Papertrey Ink Garden of Life and Polka Dot Basics stamp sets; Stampin Up Ruby Red and White Cardstocks; Stampin Up Cameo Coral, Ruby Red and Garden Green Classic Ink and dimensionals on the flower and corner rounder punch; Martha Stewart tag punch and ribbons by unknown.

Hope your weekend was a good one!